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<p>Color is one of the most conspicuous attributes in nature, strongly associated with behavior and with individual performance. In lizards, color plays an important role in social signaling, including sex recognition, dominance, aggressiveness, physiological condition, and locomotor performance; in some species, it also occurs as discrete color polymorphisms. These polymorphisms have often been linked to alternative reproductive strategies shaped by sexual selection. Here, we experimentally evaluated the association between male color polymorphism, male-male agonistic behavior, and female mate choice in the bunchgrass lizard <i>Sceloporus aeneus</i>. Males exhibit three lateral color morphs: gray, yellow, and orange. We quantified coloration using digital image analysis, assessed aggression through dyadic observations, and evaluated female preference for each morph. We found significant seasonal variation in lateral and ventral coloration, as well as differences in agonistic behavior among morphs. However, these patterns were not strongly associated with dominance status or female preference. Our findings suggest that color polymorphism in <i>S. aeneus</i> may not be a strong signal of male status or fighting ability. Instead, this polymorphism may be maintained by nonsexual selective pressures and random mating, highlighting the potential role of alternative evolutionary mechanisms in shaping phenotypic diversity within the genus.</p>

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Seasonal dynamics in coloration and behavioral strategies in the polymorphic lizard Sceloporus aeneus

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月22日

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  • Juan Manuel Carmen-Cristóbal,
  • Carla García-Morales,
  • Liliana Berenice D´Alba-Altamirano,
  • Carlos Alejandro Rangel-Patiño,
  • María de Lourdes Ruiz-Gomez

摘要

Color is one of the most conspicuous attributes in nature, strongly associated with behavior and with individual performance. In lizards, color plays an important role in social signaling, including sex recognition, dominance, aggressiveness, physiological condition, and locomotor performance; in some species, it also occurs as discrete color polymorphisms. These polymorphisms have often been linked to alternative reproductive strategies shaped by sexual selection. Here, we experimentally evaluated the association between male color polymorphism, male-male agonistic behavior, and female mate choice in the bunchgrass lizard Sceloporus aeneus. Males exhibit three lateral color morphs: gray, yellow, and orange. We quantified coloration using digital image analysis, assessed aggression through dyadic observations, and evaluated female preference for each morph. We found significant seasonal variation in lateral and ventral coloration, as well as differences in agonistic behavior among morphs. However, these patterns were not strongly associated with dominance status or female preference. Our findings suggest that color polymorphism in S. aeneus may not be a strong signal of male status or fighting ability. Instead, this polymorphism may be maintained by nonsexual selective pressures and random mating, highlighting the potential role of alternative evolutionary mechanisms in shaping phenotypic diversity within the genus.